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Record Group Number: 000172
Series/Collection Number: .S 1280
Creator: Florida. Office of the Adjutant General.
Title, Dates: Florida Cavalry Regiments of the Union Army muster rolls, 1863-1865.
Amount: 10.00 v.
2.00 microfilm reel 35 mm.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement: Arranged by military unit, then by record type.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:     In addition to the Confederate units raised in Florida during the Civil War, two regiments of cavalry also organized to serve in the Union Army. These units, the First and Second Florida Cavalry Regiments, consisted of elements from Florida's sizeable pro-Union minority, along with disaffected ex-Confederates. A large percentage of the men were deserters from Confederate service, while many of the unit's officers came from outside of the state.

    The First Florida Cavalry organized at Fort Barrancas (Pensacola) from December 1863 to August 1864 and operated in west Florida and southern Alabama during its enlistment. Elements of the First Florida Cavalry participated in various scouts and expeditions, among which were actions at Camp Gonzalez and near Pollard, Alabama; the expedition to Marianna, Florida; and the campaign against Mobile, Alabama. The regiment mustered out of service in November 1865.

    The Second Florida Cavalry organized primarily at Key West and Cedar Key from December 1863 to June 1864. The unit was assigned to the District of Key West and the Tortugas and saw continuous duty in east and south Florida. It was involved in expeditions or skirmishes at Pease Creek, Fort Myers, Tampa, Station Number 4, Bayport, Braddock's Farm, and St. Andrews Bay, as well as the St. Marks (Natural Bridge) campaign of March 1865.

    Two other units documented in these records are the Florida Rangers and the First East Florida Cavalry. The Florida Rangers were a south Florida organization that eventually merged with the Second Florida Cavalry. Little is known about the First East Florida Cavalry. This independent, company-sized unit apparently organized around Jacksonville and at Hilton Head, South Carolina, in late 1864. The unit served in northeast Florida for the remainder of the war and was on occupation duty around Tallahassee in the summer of 1865.

Summary:     The series contains volumes with photostatic copies of muster in and muster out rolls, descriptive rolls, some annual, monthly, and quarterly returns, and special orders of Florida Union cavalry regiments. The muster rolls generally contain the name and rank of soldier; when, where and by whom they mustered or enrolled into service; last paid; and remarks. In addition, the descriptive rolls also include city and county of birth, age, occupation, hair and eye color, complexion, and height. Some of the records are barely legible.

Finding Aids: Volume listing available. 0
Additional Physical Form: Microfilm.
Reproduction Note: Photocopies.
Location of Originals/Duplicates: National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History: The Dept. of Military Affairs photocopied for their own use the original records held by the National Archives.
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields: United States. Army.  --Florida Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1865)
United States. Army.  --Florida Cavalry Regiment, 2nd (1861-1865)
United States. Army.  --Florida Rangers (1861-1865)
United States. Army.  --East Florida Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1865)
Military records. aat
Muster rolls. aat
Florida History Civil War, 1861-1865
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
Added Entries